Numbers and Control in Your Business
Like many, many massage therapists, I kind of fell into this whole business ownership thing. I didn't know a quality lease from my elbow when I started. I figured things out as I went. I read as much as I could and learned how to do things. And I did okay.
But it took me a long time to step into my role as business owner. To really own my role, as the person in charge. And when that shift happened, success followed.
What caused the shift? Numbers. And me, knowing them.
- The number of appointments, weekly and monthly.
- The number of dollars coming into my business weekly and monthly.
- The number of hours I was performing massage and administrative work to make that all happen.
When you know those numbers, you have a starting point.
You can decide if you want them to go up or down.
You can build or scale back or make the ratios change.
You can see trends, seasonal shifts, and begin to track successes.
You gain control.
These aren't all the numbers you need to know to be successful. But if you feel like you're working a bunch, but you're not really in control, this is a good place to start.
Find those numbers.
You don't need to go back to the week you graduated from massage school and count from there. Just look at the last year. Or the last 6 months, even. Whatever you've got, do the math and write it down.
- How many appointments are you averaging every month?
- How much money is that bringing in?
- How many hours are you working?
Look at it. Notice how you feel about those numbers.
Think on where you want those numbers to be in 6 months. Or a year.
Do you want to work more? Do you want to work less? Do you want to work the same amount of hours, but bring in more money?
Well, hey. Look at you setting goals. Like a boss. In control.